Method and apparatus for making color prints in automatic dependence upon the film type involved

ABSTRACT

A color print machine, which makes prints from developed color film, is provided with an automatic exposure control system. A memory stores control signals for adjusting the automatic exposure control system for predetermined differing color film types and is addressable for selecting the control signals to be furnished for the color film type involved. The color film is provided with machine-readable film-type identifying code markings prior to printing. A code-marking scanner performs machine-reading of the film-type identifying code markings and generates corresponding film-type signals. The memory is addressed, thereby selecting the control signals to be furnished to the automatic exposure control system for the particular color film type involved, in automatic response to the film-type signals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns methods and apparatuses for making colorprints in dependence upon the characteristics of the particular filmtype involved, i.e., out of the variety of film types that a particularcolor print system is called on at different types to process. Withmethods and systems of this type, the exposure station control systemincludes a storage storing control signals dependent upon film-typeparameter values for various color film types, such as spectral rangesand properties, possibly masking densities, Schwarzschild-exponentvalues, and so forth. The exposure station control system must befurnished with this information for a particular film type, if theautomatic exposure control at the printing station is to be performedproperly for the particular film type next to be printed from.

In one known system of this type, this film-type information, or thecontrol signals required for the differing film types which are to behandled, is stored in a so-called calibration memory containing sets ofresistors for each color channel. The changeover to the next color filmtype is implemented by manual switchover or by exchange ofmodular-plug-in components.

With that system, each time that film of a different type is to be fedinto the printing machine, the exposure station control system must bemanually switched over or set up again for the new film type. Forexample, when printing machines are called upon to print from only a fewfilm types, and the differing film types are furthermore developed bydiffering chemical processes, there is no great difficulty orinconvenience in operating the printing machine, set up for a particularfilm type, for long periods of time without changing over to anotherfilm type. However, when a greater number of differing film types arefrequently being received by the machine, and are all to be subjected toidentical processing, the problem of setting up the printer for eachdifferent film type in succession becomes a serious one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly the general object of the invention to simplify thewhole task of setting-up color printers for successive different filmtypes.

According to the broadest concept of the invention, this is achieved byproviding the color film, from which the color prints are to be made,with machine-readable film-type identifying code markings and then, atthe printing station, performing machine-reading of the code markings onthe film and, in dependence upon the thusly performed film-typeidentification, performing automatically the adjustments attendant tosetting-up the automatic exposure control system for the new film-type.

By furnishing the data concerning film type as machine-readable codemarkings provided on the film itself, the color printer can be directlygiven this information, and then, after that point, it is actually quiteeasy to automatically perform the adjustments attendant to a changeoverto a different film-type.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, theapplication of machine-readable code markings to the film is performedprior to film development, at the splicing station at which successivefilms are spliced end to end to form a lengthy strip for processing.Actually, by applying the machine-readable film-type identifying codemarkings to the film at the splicing station, the added equipment costis negligible.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through a film extracting and splicing stationprovided with means for applying film-type identifying code markings tothe film;

FIGS. 2a and 2b depict, by way of example, two different codingtechniques that can be employed;

FIG. 3 depicts the provision of such means at a prereader station in afilm-processing set-up; and

FIG. 4 schematically depicts a color printing station provided with anautomatic exposure control system responsive to the film-typeidentifying code markings on the film from which the color prints arebeing made.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a section through an apparatus including the stations at whichcassette film to be processed is extracted from the cassettes and theindividual films spliced together end to end to form a lengthy strip forautomated processing.

Numeral 1 denotes the front panel of the machine. The front panel isprovided with an infeed chute 2 with an infeed passage 3 which slantsdownwards into the interior of the apparatus. The infeed passage 3 isfollowed by a cassette chute 4 having substantially the same downwardsslant. Cassette chute 4 is subdivided into a waiting chamber and atransfer chamber, by means of three rotary sector-type light-blockingplates 5 mounted on a common rotating shaft 6. Light-blocking plates 5serve to keep ambient light away from an internal film-extractingstation 7 during pulling of film from a cassette at that station. Theangular spacing of the sector-shaped openings in the three rotarylight-blocking plates 5 is such that the openings move into the chute 4alternately. The middle part of cassette chute 4 is open at its upperlongitudinal wall. Located opposite to this opening, at the chute walldirectly opposite thereto, is a transfer unit 8 which transfers a filmcassette 9 from the broken-line position in chute 4 to the solid-lineposition at the film-extraction station 7 proper.

The film-extraction station 7 per se includes a stationary stopstructure 10 against which the transferred cassette 9 is braced duringfilm extraction; a separating tongue 11 for separating the trailing edgeof the rolled-up film from the film roll; a transport roller pair 12; a(non-illustrated) ejector; and a film guide channel 13 followed by apair of friction rollers 14 and 15. The latter are followed by agenerally horizontal film guide structure 16, for deflecting theextracted film 17 to a cutting and splicing station 20. Friction roller14 is coupled to and driven by a (non-illustrated) motor, whereasfriction roller 15 is rotatably mounted on one end of a lever 18, towhose other end one end of a spring 19 is connected, the other springend being fastened to a stationary part of the machine housing. Thispart of the apparatus is conventional, and its operation will befamiliar to persons skilled in the art.

Front panel 1 is provided with a data input unit 21, essentiallycomprised of a row of pushbutton switches 24 which are connected viasignal lines 25 to a storage unit 26. As explained below, storage unit26 can be mainly comprised of a shift register. Storage unit 26 isconnected via one or more control lines 27 to an encoding station 28and, via a control line 29, to the drive unit for a pair of transportrollers 30.

The encoding arrangement 28 is preferably a punch unit provided with,for example, four punch members arranged in a row which extendstransverse to the film transport direction, the four punch members beingindividually activatable and therefore activatable in differingcombinations. However, equally well, the encoding arrangement 28 couldcomprise an optical mark-forming device comprising a row of four lightsources or light-emitting elements extending transverse to the filmtransport direction, and likewise individually illuminatable. Becausethe film is still in a light-sensitive condition, such light-emittingelements can form code markings on the film itself by simple lightexposure. One of the two transport rollers 30 is driven by a(non-illustrated) motor controlled via control line 29, whereas theother transport roller is passively driven.

The illustrated apparatus operates as follows:

With one hand, the operator pushes a film cassette 9 into the infeedchute 3 and, with the other hand, presses that one of the pushbuttonswitches 24 of input unit 21 corresponding to the film-type indicia theoperator sees on the cassette. Depending on which pushbutton switch 24is pressed, one of a corresponding plurality of distinguishable signalsis applied to the input of storage unit 26, storage unit 26 registeringthe applied signal. Storage 26 can mainly comprise a shift register, theinput stage of which registers whatever signal results from theparticular pushbutton 24 the operator has depressed. If the operatorinadvertently presses the wrong pushbutton 24 and wishes to correct hismistake, he can do this by merely pressing the correct pushbutton, thewrong signal registered in the input stage of the shift register beingreplaced by the signal corresponding to the second-depressed pushbutton.The registered signal corresponding to the most recently depressedpushbutton does not become inaccessible for correction, until after asector-shaped opening in the uppermost one of the three rotarylight-blocking plates 5 has unblocked the cassette chute 4 for insertionof the next cassette 9 and then again blocked the chute, it beingassumed that by the time of insertion of the next cassette the operatorwill no longer be reconsidering his selection for the precedingcassette. I.e., as the next cassette drops into the cassette chute 4,the shift-register storage unit 26 receives a shift pulse, and thesignal registered in the input stage of the register shifts to thesecond stage thereof, now becoming inaccessible for correction. Theshift pulses for shift-register storage unit 26 are furnished via a line32 from a synchronizer 31 coupled to the rotating shaft 6, i.e., toapply a shift pulse to unit 26 when the upper light-blocking plate 5 hasunblocked and then reblocked the cassette chute 4.

After three such shift pulses, the leading end of the film or filmtrailer of the cassette of interest arrives at the splicing station 20,and is there attached by means of a short section of adhesive stripmaterial to the adjoining end of the previous film. After the splice ismade, the joined-together film is transported a little further, thetransport being interrupted by a signal produced by storage unit 26 andtransmitted via control line 29 to the (non-illustrated) motor for thetransport rollers 30. The amount of this small transport step is such asto bring to the encoding station 28 either the adhesive splicing tape orthe unexposed trailing end of the film (presently constituting theleading end as considered relative to current transport). With the filmtransport briefly stopped there, the film-type identifying code markingsare applied, whether by means of punching or by light exposure. Whichmarking is to be applied depends upon the signal received by encodingarrangement 28 via line 27 from the shift-register stage storing thesignal of interest. After a time interval sufficient to assure that thecode markings have been applied, the interrupt-transport signal oncontrol line 29 terminates and film transport resumes.

According to a further concept of the invention, instead of manuallyperforming the input of a film-type identifying signal, a code markingreader can be located in the splicing apparatus for automaticallyreading film-type identifying markings on the exterior of the cassette9. In FIG. 1, a code marking reader unit 33 is located in the first orwaiting chamber of the cassette chute 4. Reader unit 33 converts theautomatically read code markings into a signal which is transmitted viaa line 34 to the input of shift-register storage unit 26, as analternative to manual data input. More recent film cassettes are alreadyprovided with machine-readable code markings indentifying film type.

Self-evidently, such an extracting and splicing station could beprovided both with a manual data input and an automatic code-markingreader, for manual input of film-type data in the case of cassettes notalready provided with the machine-readable film-type markings justreferred to.

FIGS. 2a and 2b depict, merely by way of example, two different codingschemes which could be employed. The adjoining ends of two adjoiningfilms 17 and 17' are shown spliced together by a short strip of adhesivetape 23 (indicated in broken lines). In FIG. 2a, up to four circularcode markings 35 can be provided, and here only three out of the fourare actually provided, by exposing the film end to light from fourindividually illuminatable light-emitting elements. Accordingly, eachfilm type is represented by a 4-bit word, making for a number ofavailable combinations sufficient for the number of differing film typesto be expected. In FIG. 2b, the code markings are constituted bycircular perforations 36 stamped through the splicing tape 23. Becausethe splicing tape 23 is typically not transparent for infrared light, itis then convenient to use infrared light for the subsequent opticaldetection of these perforations.

It will be understood that other coding techniques can likewise beemployed, for example involving notches made at the edge of the film,markings constituted by the application of machine-detectable inks tothe film, and so forth, provided that they then be readable by automaticmeans, whether mechanical, photoelectric, pneumatic, or others.

Instead of applying the film-type identifying code markings to the filmat the splicing station of the film-processing installation, this couldalternatively be performed, for example, at the preprinting viewingstation at which a human operator visually scans film frames prior toprinting in order to ascertain which are unprintable, which ones mightrequire over- or undercorrection, and so forth. FIG. 3 depicts aprereader 40 comprising a control panel 42 at which the operator sits orstands during his work, a display station 43 for developed film about tobe printed, and a keyboard 44 used in performing the present invention.

A strip of originals 17a, i.e., frames of developed film, is transportedintermittently along the length of a translucent display plate 45 whichis illuminated from below. In this way, a predetermined number oforiginals, here eight, are simultaneously displaced for visualevaluation by the operator. Typically, the operator then presses(non-illustrated) controls, to register signals indicating that certainfilm frames are unprintable, require exposure corrections, or the like.Preferably, the intermittent film strip transport is performed in such away that successions of eight frames each are successively brought to astandstill on illuminated display plate 45, for batchwise visualevaluation by the operator. Downstream of display station 43 is a roller47 forming part of a film-length transducer 48. Film-length transducer48 is followed by an encoding arrangement 28'. The encoding meansemployed in encoding arrangement 28' can be of any of the types referredto with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, e.g., punching, notching, and soforth; however, application of film-type code markings by means of lightexposure would not be practicable here, inasmuch as the film is at thispoint in developed condition. The operator depresses one of a set ofpushbutton switches 41, to inform the system of the film type involved;if the operator inadvertently depresses the wrong pushbutton 41, he thenpresses an erase button 50 and then the correct pushbutton 41, beforeproceeding further. The operator depresses pushbutton 49, to trigger thenext transport step and thereby the display of the next batch of eightoriginals. A set of pushbutton switches 46 is used to identify thelocation, within the length of the display panel 45, of the first frameof the new film type. This keyboard 46 may be used, for the samepurpose, for identifying which individual film frames might require theprinting corrections, or the like, which the operator selects by meansof the other (non-illustrated) controls on the control panel 42.

During operation, the operator depresses transport key 49, to bring thenext batch of originals into display station 43. If the operator seesthe start of a new film type, he depresses one of pushbuttons 41, toregister a signal indicating the film type involved, and he presses oneof the address keys 46, to store a signal indicating the location of thefirst frame in the new film type. When the operator resumes striptransport, the film is briefly stopped when the splice at the start ofthe new film type reaches encoding station 28', and a film-typeidentifying code marking, corresponding to the depressed pushbutton 41,is applied to the strip of splicing tape or to the adjoining end portionof the film. After a time delay sufficient for application of the codemarkings, the film transport operation just commanded by the operatorautomatically resumes without further intervention by the operator. Theoperator can readily determine what film type is involved from themanufacturer's film-type inscriptions provided along the edge of thefilm.

FIG. 4, now, schematically depicts an exemplary color printing station,at which the film-type indentifying code markings applied in any of theways described above are actually employed to control color printing.The printing station is schematically depicted, to the extent of areflector 51 positioned behind an exposure-light source 52, a condensor53, a frame 54 for the original to be printed, an objective 55, a set ofexchangeable filters 56, and a strip of color print paper 57 transportedfrom a supply roll 58 to a take-up roll 59. Numeral 60 denotes theexposure-control system of the printing station, here, by way ofexample, shown controlling the energization of three electromagnets 61,for moving different ones of the three filters in filter set 56 into andout of the path of exposure light. The exposure-control system may alsoinclude, for example, photoelectric transducers 62 located in the pathof exposure light and furnishing exposure-light signals to theexposure-control system. Automatic exposure-control systems are ofcourse in themselves well known in the art, and need not be described indetail here.

A particular film frame 17a to be printed is transported from a supplyreel 63 to a take-up reel 64. A pair of transport rollers 65 is locatedbetween exposure frame 54 and take-up reel 64. A scanning station 66 islocated upstream of the exposure frame 54. Scanning station 66 furnishesfilm-type identifying signals to a decoder 69 and converts these into aform suitable for application to an adjusting stage 70. Adjusting stage70, in dependence upon the signals received from decoder 69, adjusts theadjustable components of the automatic exposure control system 60 byautomatic means, e.g., by electrically rendering conductive andnon-conductive control switches in control system 60 of the type which,in the prior art, a set-up technician might manually switch on and off,by electrically varying the resistance and thereby the time constants orin other manner the time intervals incident to exposure control or theexposure-light intensity value to be employed, and so forth.

When the original 17a of interest passes through scanning station 66,the film-type identifying code markings on or near the film splice 23are sensed, converted into corresponding signals, and these arefurnished via control line 27 (e.g., a set of four control linestransmitting a 4-bit word in parallel) to decoder 69. In response tothis film-type identifying signal, decoder 69 furnishes to adjustingstage 70 control signals causing stage 70 to then automatically adjustthe adjustable components of automatic exposure control system 60 forthe new film-type involved. So long as a different film-type does notarrive, the automatic exposure control system 60 continues to operate asjust set up.

If, because of space-availability problems, the scanning station 66cannot be located immediately upstream of the exposure frame 54, butinstead for example upstream thereof a distance corresponding to one ormore film frames, then the film-type identifying signal from scanningstation 66 can be transmitted to decoder 69 through the intermediary ofa time-delay shift register 68 synchronized with one-frame transportoperations and having a number of register stages such that thefilm-type identifying signal becomes applied to decoder 69, with theautomatic adjustment of exposure control system 60 then being performedonly when the first frame of the new film type actually arrives atexposure frame 54.

Persons skilled in the art will understand that the adjustments of theadjustable components in exposure control system 60, involving as theydo for example calibration, slope, exposure duration, filter selection,and so forth, may require signals not per se derivable from thefilm-type identifying code signal applied to the input of decoder 69.Accordingly, it will typically be necessary, in the case of asophisticated automatic exposure control system 60, to provide indecoder 69 a program storage, e.g., a random-access memory which isaddressed by the undecoded or decoded film-type identifying code signal,with each addressable sector of the memory storing all the varioussignals predetermining all control signals required for automaticadjustment of exposure control system 60 for a particular film type.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofcircuits and constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied inthe context of color-film processing and printing equipment of variousspecific types, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, it is clearly desirable, in the manner described above, toincorporate the encoding arrangement which applies the film-typemarkings into an existing station of a film-processing and printinginstallation, e.g., the film-extracting and splicing apparatus of FIG. 1or the prereader of FIG. 3. However, it will be understood that, ifdesired, these machine-readable film-type markings could be applied atan entirely separate station of the installation, e.g., involving theintroduction of a truly further processing station into theinstallation.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt if for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:
 1. A film-processing apparatuscomprising, in combination, means for transporting film along apredetermined transport path; means for generating differing film-typeidentifying signals identifying the film type being transported throughthe apparatus; and means for applying to the film one of a predeterminedplurality of distinguishable film-type identifying code markings inresponse to the film-type identifying signal generated, the apparatusincluding a compartment for insertion of a film cassette, the means forgenerating film-type identifying signals comprising means for readingfilm-type identifying code markings provided on the cassette itself andgenerating corresponding film-type identifying signals.
 2. Afilm-processing apparatus comprising, in combination, means fortransporting film along a predetermined transport path; means forgenerating differing film-type identifying signals identifying the filmtype being transported through the apparatus; and means for applying tothe film one of a predetermined plurality of distinguishable film-typeidentifying code markings in response to the film-type identifyingsignal generated, the apparatus including means for splicing togetherthe adjoining ends of adjoining films at a splicing station, the meansfor applying the code markings comprising means adjoining the splicingstation and providing the code markings adjacent a film splice,furthermore including means operative for receiving a film cassette andautomatically extracting the film therefrom, the means for generatingfilm-type identifying signals comprising means for reading film-typeidentifying code markings provided on the cassette itself and generatingcorresponding film-type identifying signals.